Bears Near Your Home
In wilderness settings, bears usually avoid people. But, food attractants near homes can cause them to grow habituated to humans and disturbances, such as dogs and other noises. Bears are attracted by bird feeders, garbage, outdoor pet food, compost piles, fruit trees, and berry-producing shrubs.
To avoid attracting bears:
- Never feed bears. Bears that associate food with people may become bold, aggressive, and dangerous. This may lead to personal injury, property damage, and the need to euthanize problem animals.
- Remove bird feeders from late March through November. If a bear visits a bird feeder in winter, remove the feeder.
- Wait until the morning of collection before bringing out the trash. Add a few capfulls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed.
- Do not leave pet food outside overnight. Store livestock food in airtight containers.
- Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell and discourage bears.
- Thoroughly clean grills after use or store in a garage or shed.
- Encourage your neighbors to take similar precautions.
If You See a Bear:
If you see a bear on your property, you can either:
- Leave it alone and wait for it to leave
- Make loud noises from a safe distance to scare the bear away.
- Observe it from a distance.
- Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walk slowly away.
- Never attempt to feed or attract bears.
- After the bear leaves the property, remove anything that may have attracted it to the area.
To Report a Sighting
You can report a bear sighting to the State DEEP, Report of Bear Sighting.
In the event of an emergency, call 911 for the Greenwich Dispatch Center.